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wilfully turn away from Him who speaketh from

heaven.

Thus have we examined the subject which rightly occupies a more than ordinary share of the attention of a Christian. I have shewn you the necessity of conversion-that we must repent and turn to God, or we must die as the heathen without any hope, or any part in the covenant of redemption. I have shewn you the manner of conversion, that it is by the power of the Almighty attending the means of grace, and in some way, which may be different with different individuals, impressing the heart.-I have shewn you the evidences of conversion, by which every man may know his state before God, and learn whether his conversion has begun, though he cannot tell the day nor the hour in which he was converted.Some among you are beginning to be converted. Others have made some progress in their spiritual change. Some of you understand the blessings of peace of mind, and well-founded certainty, and a full assurance of faith, and hope-while others are totally unconcerned, and have neither sorrow for sin, nor resolutions of future good. God, who reads the heart, knows well the state of all, and your own hearts can tell you what that merciful God observes. If your conversion has begun, persevere with patience and faith, to the end. Life, with the longest liver, will be soon over-and great will be the happiness, and infinite the glory, of the Christian who dies in the Lord. If your

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conversion has not begun-if you are regardless of these things-study, I beseech you, the evidences of Christianity. Look at the example of St. Paulexamine the truth for yourselves-let not the question of wickedness or holiness, of a miserable death, or a peaceful death, of heaven, or hell, of receiving Christ, or rejecting Christ-let not such questions, I say, be left to chance, or to ignorance. Religion is all, or it is nothing-it is deserving our deepest consideration, for the soul never dies, and life is the only time of trial. Endless is the misery, and endless the happiness, which depends upon your rejecting, or embracing, the Gospel of a dying Saviour and the warnings of the Holy Spirit. Return, then, return to a merciful God. Repent, and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Accept the invitations of the Gospel. Be converted, and live. Be anxious only that your heart be changed. Pray that you may avoid the fate of those who know God, and believe rightly, yet live and die in misery and sin. Pray to God that you improve in your Christian knowledge, and Christian practice-till your conversion be completed, and you receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

SERMON XIV.

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST-CHRIST THE GOVERNOR OF

THE WORLD AND OF THE CHURCH.

[Preached at Northallerton, on Christmas Day, 1828.]

ISAIAH ix. 6.

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

WE commemorate this morning that great event in the history of mankind, the birth of our Saviour and Redeemer.

My design, on the present occasion, is to explain to you the extent and the nature of the government of Christ, and to point out to you the interest which we all have in the wonderful system of redemption which was on this day more completely developed to the world.-And the subject is worthy of our attention. For we do not commemorate any inferior event. Life and death, judgment and eternity, infinite happiness or infinite misery, are involved in the question whether

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conversion has not begun-if you are regardless of these things-study, I beseech you, the evidences of Christianity. Look at the example of St. Paul— examine the truth for yourselves-let not the question of wickedness or holiness, of a miserable death, or a peaceful death, of heaven, or hell, of receiving Christ, or rejecting Christ-let not such questions, I say, be left to chance, or to ignorance. Religion is all, or it is nothing-it is deserving our deepest consideration, for the soul never dies, and life is the only time of trial. Endless is the misery, and endless the happiness, which depends upon your rejecting, or embracing, the Gospel of a dying Saviour and the warnings of the Holy Spirit. Return, then, return to a merciful God. Repent, and iniquity shall not be your ruin. Accept the invitations of the Gospel. Be converted, and live. Be anxious only that your heart be changed. Pray that you may avoid the fate of those who know God, and believe rightly, yet live and die in misery and sin. Pray to God that you improve in your Christian knowledge, and Christian practice—till your conversion be completed, and you receive the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

SERMON XIV.

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST-CHRIST THE GOVERNOR OF

THE WORLD AND OF THE CHURCH.

[Preached at Northallerton, on Christmas Day, 1828.]

ISAIAH ix. 6.

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

WE commemorate this morning that great event in the history of mankind, the birth of our Saviour and Redeemer.

My design, on the present occasion, is to explain to you the extent and the nature of the government of Christ, and to point out to you the interest which we all have in the wonderful system of redemption which was on this day more completely developed to the world. And the subject is worthy of our attention. For we do not commemorate any inferior event. Life and death, judgment and eternity, infinite happiness or infinite misery, are involved in the question whether

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